A strong pre-season has propelled a former Okotoks Oilers standout from Bragg Creek into a starring role for the Edmonton Oilers.
Oilers alumnus Dylan Holloway has been named to the Oilers’ opening day roster for the 2022-23 National Hockey League season, which gets underway tonight.
“It’s a real positive narrative that’s kind of woven its way starting in rookie camp and all the way through main camp here,” said Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft, at an Oct. 10 press conference. “He's hit some necessary steps along the way. We said this last week, but I thought he was the best player in that Penticton (Young Stars) tournament, he carried that personal momentum into the pre-season.
“He’s seen some tough lineups and I see someone getting better every day and he’s worked hard to put himself in that position.”
Holloway, who produced four goals and six points in five pre-season games, is expected to make his regular season debut in the NHL on Wednesday night when the Oilers host the Vancouver Canucks. Ironically, Holloway’s father Bruce played two games for the Canucks in the 1984-85 season.
In line rushes during this week’s practices, the 21-year-old power forward has been skating on the team’s second line alongside Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman.
The 6-foot-1, 203 pound forward was Edmonton’s first-round draft pick in 2020. Holloway got his first taste of NHL action under the brightest of lights when he was inserted into the line-up on June 6, as the Oilers looked to stave off playoff elimination from the Colorado Avalanche during Game 4 of the Western Conference final.
An Okotoks Oiler from 2017-19, the Bragg Creek product played two seasons in the NCAA for the University of Wisconsin before joining the professional ranks with the Oilers.
Last season, the fleet-footed winger had a productive campaign at the American Hockey League level, tallying 22 points in 36 games with the Bakersfield Condors.
